Project Management Specialist (Climate Change)

Closing Date of The Position: February 29, 2016

Vacancy Announcement Number: 16/009

ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT (OR) APPLICANTS MUST HAVE THE REQUIRED WORK AND/OR RESIDENCY PERMITS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION

The US Mission in Dar es Salaam is seeking eligible and qualified applicants for the position of Project Management Specialist – Climate Change at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION 

The incumbent is a Senior Foreign Service National (FSN) and the Mission’s in-house Climate Change expert who serves as a technical specialist within USAID/Tanzania Economic Growth Office. The incumbent will work closely with both the Natural Resource Management (NRM) Team and the Feed the Future (FTF) Team. In this capacity, the incumbent manages projects and activities in support of both NRM and FTF in Tanzania and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of USAID/Tanzania’s coastal climate resiliency activity and provide direction for other climate change related activities aimed at addressing climate change impacts related to land and water management practices. The incumbent provides a full range of expert climate change advice and analytical and technical support to the EG Office; supports program priorities that strengthen local resiliency to cli-mate change; and liaises with other Mission programs to identify synergies in programs. S/he develops internal Mission documentation supporting project planning and implementation, such as Action Memoranda, Operational Plan, Performance Reports, and others. S/he also monitors, manages, and ensures that deliverables are received from project contractors. The Specialist reports to the Natural Resource Management Team Leader.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provides advisory services on Climate Change
40%

1. Provide strategic, technical and organizational leadership and input on the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of climate change program activities. Serve as a key advisor in managing and implementing mission climate change interventions, working closely with host country officials and project consultants.
2. Play a lead role in engaging with corporations and philanthropic organizations to build public/private alliances to leverage private funding for climate change activities in Tanzania.
3. Produce briefing papers, and semi-annual and annual reports on program status, accomplishments, and implementation issues. Oversee monitoring and evaluation of programs.
4. Ensure effective coordination and integration with other USAID-funded activities, especially those working in the same geographic areas and in the environment sector.

Serves as Agreements/Contracting Officer Technical Representative (AOR/COR) and/or Activity Manager for assigned contracts, cooperative agreements, and/or grants
40%

1. As AOR/COR, the incumbent fulfills a full range of project management responsibilities related to procurement, supervision, performance monitoring, and reporting and provides technical guidance to the implementing partners in accordance with the terms of the contract/agreement. Specifically s/he:
   • Provides expert technical advice and direction to contractors’ staff; keep the Team, Mission management, and the Agreements/Contracting Officer informed on progress of work;
   • Ensures that activities achieve their intended results. Monitors technical and financial adequacy and acceptability of delivered goods and services under approved activities through field inspections, reviewing contractor reports, and meetings with project personnel and contractor representatives;
   • Provides technical assistance to the Agreements/Contracting Officer in responding to the proposed changes in the Scope/s of Work for assigned nutrition activities, the validity of claims and the reasonableness of contract/agreement time extensions: provides appropriate technical assistance to the Acquisition & Assistance staff in issuance and negotiations of change orders in accordance with the USG regulations and procedures;
   • Receives and inspects completed services upon delivery, verifies that they meet the acceptance standards and delivery schedules, as specified in the contract;
   • Reviews implementing partners’ work plans and financial and technical reports, evaluates the implementing partners’ performance, and prepares written and oral reports for Mission management, USAID/Washington, and the U.S. Congress;
   • Submits status, analytical, and other reports, concept papers, and memoranda to the Mission management regarding progress and performance, problems and corrective actions, and general oversight. Reports shall be of sufficient scope so as to be useful to USAID/Tanzania in fully monitoring the progress of contract/grant administration and reviewing contractor performance. Where deficiencies are noted, recommends corrective action.
   • Performs other responsibilities including but not limited to: drafting project implementation letters, preparing action memoranda and reports, estimating expenditures, reviewing payment vouchers, responding to audits, assessing claims, and performing other related activities.

Act as primary Climate Change expert with USAID leadership and other partners
20%

• Participate in Development Partners Group meetings for Environment, Climate Change and Agriculture, as appropriate.
• Maintain collaborative, professional relationships with mid- and senior-level Government of Mozambique central and local level officials, major financial donors, corporate philanthropic foundations, international organizations, and leading education research institutions to ensure effective coordination of USAID activities related to Climate Change.
• Brief USAID leadership on project implementation, overall status of Climate Change in Tanzania, and related development activities.
• Assist programming and negotiating with GOT on project design, implementation and evaluation, ensuring that GOT officials are apprised of program progress.
• Attend national, regional, and global events related to Climate Change as requested.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

All applicants must address each required qualification listed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not qualified.

1. Education: 
   Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree (BSc) in environmental management, environmental impact assessment, economics, rural development, or closely related field is required.
2. Experience: 
   Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional-level experience in an area (s) related to strategy and policy development, program design and management, especially in climate change and natural resource management, is required.
3. Language:
   Level IV (fluent) in English and Kiswahili (writing, reading and speaking) is required. (This will be tested)
4. Skills and Abilities: 
   
   • Strong analytical skills are required. Ability to conceptualize and present information in the most effective, easy-to-understand manner is required.
   • Must have proven ability to communicate quickly, clearly and concisely – both orally and in writing - in English. Strong written and verbal communication skills are required to resolve budget, activity implementation, and administrative issues with implementing partners and team members is required.
   • Ability to work both independently and in a team environment is required.
   • Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and other relevant software) are required to analyze, monitor, and present information, including constructing comprehensive and easy-to-follow budget tables is required. (This will be tested)
5. Job Knowledge: 
   Must have a thorough professional knowledge of climate change programs, policies and trends in Tanzania. Must have a thorough knowledge of sound local and international best practices in climate change development. Knowledge of project development, design, management, performance monitoring, and reporting is required. Must have a good knowledge of host-country contacts (official and non-governmental) in the areas of climate change is required.

SELECTION PROCESS: When qualified, applicants who are U.S. Citizen Eligible family Members (USEFMs) and/or preference-eligible U.S. Veterans are given a preference in hiring. Therefore, it is essential that these applicants make themselves known as having a hiring preference and specially address the required applications above in their application.

HIRING PREFERENCE ORDER: 
1. USEFM who is ALSO a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran
2. USEFM OR a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran
3. FS on LWOP

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA:

1. Management will consider when determining successful candidacy: nepotism, conflicts of interest, budget, and residency status.
2. Current OR employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply. Current OR employees with an Overall Summary rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory on their most recent Employee Performance report (EPR) are not eligible to apply.
3. Current NOR employees hired on a Family Member Employment (FMA) or a Personal Service Agreement (PSA) are not eligible to apply within the first 90 calendar days of their employment, unless they have a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.

HOW TO APPLY: applicants must submit the following documents to be considered:

1. Universal Application for Employment (UAE)(Form Ds-174), which is available on our website or by contacting Human resources, (see “For Further Information” above); and
2. Any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g. transcripts, degrees, etc.)
3. Copy of Passport, or, National ID, Resident/Work Permit.

IMPORTANT: Applicants claiming a U.S. Veteran’s preference must submit written documentation confirming eligibility (e.g., Member Copy 4 of Form DD-214, Letter from the Veteran’s Administration, or certification documenting eligibility under the VOW Act with an expected discharge no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted) by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the written documentation confirming eligibility is not received in the HR office by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, the U.S. Veteran’s preference will not be considered in the application process. Specific criteria for receiving a U.S. Veteran’s preference may be found in HR/OE’s Family Member Employment Policy (FMEP).

WHERE TO APPLY: 

American Embassy
Human Resources Office
P.O. Box 9123
Dar es Salaam